Correction officers' union demands mayor do more to protect workers on Rikers Island

By Grace Rauh
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January 18, 2018 @8:06 PM

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The correction officers' union is demanding the mayor do more to protect workers on Rikers Island.

They gathered on the steps of City Hall to denounce the mayor's plan to shut down the jail complex within 10 years.

Union members say the administration should instead focus on keeping Rikers safe as violence in city jails continue to rise.

"We need the mayor to do his damn job. That’s all we are asking him to do," said Elias Husamudeen, president of the Correction Officers Benevolent Association. "I’ve never seen a bunch of City Council members and mayors so afraid of inmate advocates. I've just never seen this in all my life. They want to jeopardize the safety of NYC correction officers because they want to be beholding to inmate advocates, and we're saying we're not going to have it."

Those in favor of closing Rikers say de Blasio needs to work faster so he can then start creating smaller jails across the five boroughs.